(Tiruchchirappalli Painting of Indra: Wikimedia Commons)
Rama and Sita fell in love at first sight, and now it was time to prove Rama's worth and win Sita's hand. In order to become Sita's husband, the must be able to bend the bow of Shiva. Rama is very hesitant to attempt this task, but Vishvamitra convinces Rama to try. Rama, then, picks up the bow and snaps in perfectly and effortlessly in half.
Other rival suitors heard word of this event and became furious at the idea of an man being able to bend Shiva's bow, let alone snap it in half! One of these rivals was Parashurama. He was extremely fond of Sita was enraged that she had taken another suitor. It became Parashurama's ultimate goal to break any ties between the two, and he knew that if he gathered enough momentum from other suitors that his plan could become a reality, even if it meant by forceful means.
Parashurama sent his messengers to contact the rival suitors, and he got positive responses of agreement almost instantly. Together, Parashurama and the suitors then march to Videha, ready to confront, and even attack, Rama.
Rama sees a sea of men angrily coming in his direction, and terror immediately rushes to his stomach. The mob comes to a stop, and Parashurama yells angrily at Rama questioning how he was able to bend the bow of Shiva. Rama answers honestly, but this only irritates Parashurama and the other suitors even more.
Finally, Parashumara cannot hold in his aggravation and is ready to call upon the other men to battle Rama until a loud crashing noise came from above the in the sky. Everyone crouches in fear as they see a figure come down from the sky. It was the god Indra! Indra declared, in the most ominous voice, that if anyone of those men were to lay a finger on Rama, that they were in for a lifetime of curses. The suitors would not dare to challenge Indra, so they all immediately ran at the hearing of the threat and now knew why Rama was the one suitor for Sita.
Author's Note
I wanted to expand upon the section where Parashumara and the suitors were threatening and questioning Rama, but I wanted to make my own ending. In the original story, Parashumara gives Rama another weapon, the bow of Vishnu, to see if Rama can bend it, and he can. That is how Rama gains Parashumara's respect and honor. In my version, I wanted the suitors the see that Rama had gods that were directly on his side, and that is why I added the part of Indra making an appearance at the scene.
Bibliography
The Divine Archer by F.J. Gould
Hey Elena, I really liked your story. I liked the fact that you chose to focus on such a monumental part. Personally, this was one of my favorite parts. When Rama not only strung but bent the bow in half was iconic. I also appreciated how you started your story like the original but then you chose to change the end to something you enjoyed more. I liked you showing that the Gods were in Rama's side. Awesome story Elena.
ReplyDeleteHi Elena,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your story! This particular part of the Ramayana, was actually one of my favorites. I am a sucker for romance, so reading about how Rama was willing to take a challenge to have Sita in marriage was so cute! I also liked how you took a particular character and used him as an obstacle for Rama. It helped create suspense and excitement in your story. I think the ending really affirmed Rama's importance to the Ramayana and how his relationship works with Sita.
Hi Elena, your story was very interesting and I enjoyed how you switched it up. What I liked the most was the fact that you pitted Parashrama and Rama against each other. To me, this makes the situation feel much more tense and adds good drama to the story. I also thought it was cool how you used Indra to be the god who brought everything back to normal. I look forward to reading more of your stories.
ReplyDeleteHello Elena,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your story this week. I liked how you added your own ending. Since Rama is so powerful and a leader he is often not given much guidance from others. I enjoyed that someone was looking out for him this once when he was in a tough spot instead of him having to fight someone or deceiving someone.